The Kerry v Dublin thread

[kot]

That feeling has been a long time coming and it had to happen when I couldn't go! God almighty if I had to miss it, why couldn't have I had the option of watching Sky sports on the gaa go feed rather than being subjected to an emotional roller coaster and having to listen to Kevin McStay for an hour and a half spout absolute hateful gibberish about everything Kerry! A disgrace.

Anyway, on to the game. Like I said, a long time coming. Yet again we were on the brink of somehow plucking defeat from a nailed on victory but this time we held our nerve.

We should have been so much further ahead in the first half than we were. Dublin seemed a bit lost without O' Callaghan but still some uncharacteristic misses from even the likes of Fenton, Kilkenny & Rock.

Clifford was imperious then and we were in control around the middle.

I felt Dublin seemed to start the niggly stuff then beginning with the Small black card. I am struggling to see how people are saying it was a soft penalty? Gavin was about to shoot and the player from behind pulls his arm back preventing him from dropping the ball! As for the furore about Seanie's follow up, the ball was there to be played and its actually his trailing leg that catches Comerford as he is challenged over by a defender ..... yerra Comerford had acted as if he had been shot by Lee Harvey Oswald in the commentary box before the penalty, at least he a had a real reason to stay down holding his head then. Awful penalty though! That there would have been a soul destroyer I think for a Dublin team who weren't at it at all then. On a side note it seemed after the penalty schemozzle that Neelan gave into the Dublin crowd as much as Kerry did. Some very questionable calls in the 2nd half and he was in danger of adding himself to the "Dublin Joe" list!

I remember us being 5 up at half time in '16 and not feeling comfortable, I had the same feeling again. And it proved warranted. Kerry won in spite of themselves and the tactics in the 2nd half. Everything that worked well in the first half was out the window. We invited Dublin on, particularly after the goal.
David Moran again had a great game to an extent but he just has this knack of making high profile David James like cock ups that end up being costly!

Fair play to Dublin, their still active Laochra Gael's stood up and took it to us. Kilkenny & Fenton started to cause us real problems and I thought Paddy Small was causing us serious issues for the whole half hour he was on. What a point too by James McCarthy. At the back, Fitzsimons got on top of Clifford but Kerry's pensive, ponderous build up contributed to that! I have a slight concern with David Clifford I have mentioned before and I think its that he feels sometimes he has to pull us out the fire. He misses one forcing and then tries again and again. But he kept at it and won the free at the end. Davy Byrne was very good when he came on but ended being caught out for the the last gasp free.

For us, our backs had a strange second half. They were pushed back and often played themselves into pressure but turned over Dublin crucially towards the end. Our forwards were not at it bar the exception of Paudie in the 2nd half and Seanie right at the end. Dara Moynihan had a decent cameo. Fantastic to see Paudie come of age against the best of the best and pick up the slack when the 2 boys were kept under wraps. I hate the fisted point and thought he had a chance to end it when through that time, but watching it back he may have been caught if he tried to go for goal.

I found it quite amusing the Dublin fans booing Kerry retaining the ball to work a score in the 2nd half when it was their calling card for a decade.

Finally, Sean O'Shea you effing beauty! It was worth all of the roaring and pulling off hair in the 2nd half just to see that kick from Seanie O'Shea. Reminded me so much of Fitzy's pressure cooker kick against Armagh in 2000 but was further out? And into that wind and a hill full of baying Dubs. Jesus merciful god above in heaven it was almost erotic it was so good! The lack of a big cheer from the Hill gave away where this ball was going long before it got there! Just watching back that video above has me grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

Massive credit to both teams in a game for the ages. In a way, both teams will come away feeling good. We are in the final obviously and have gotten over Dublin in a tight, close encounter for the first time since '07! And the first time we have beaten any contender in a close game up in Croker since the final in '14.
Dublin have come within a kick of a ball of going to another final against the favourites, without their talisman and a lot of fellas getting their first experience of that type of a match.

On now to the final in 2 weeks! And if ever a reminder was needed to keep a focus, just look at Mayo last year. We were beat and they got over Dublin. I reckon they thought their day had finally come and they were no match for Tyrone.

Both teams play their best and we should win, but Galway have a ferocuious backline, a solid midfield and scorers who can hurt you. So if we aren't at it and we are as clueless on the day as we were in the 2nd half, then we are in trouble.

[Mickmack]

Jul 10, 2022 19:01:49 GMT Kingdomson said:

Huge congratulations to the Kerry team and all involved – I will never forget this day of days and the sheer joy of finally beating this Dublin team of true warriors. As the mod said, our analysis can come later, it’s about soaking it up and enjoying this tremendous joy given today by our magnificent boys in green and gold who stood up, and were counted!

Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty we are free at last.

Up the Kingdom!

Thank you Kingdomson.
I feel the same.

[kot]

Jul 10, 2022 19:08:07 GMT southward said:

In case anyone tries to tell you it's only a game, listen to this. Radio Kerry on that point.


img.radiokerry.ie/prod/uploads/End-of-show.mp3

Holy jesus!

[tpo]

Gavin White a doubt for final ? Got a bang or twisted hid knee

[ciarrai4sam]

[kerrybhoy06]

Well done to Seanie, balls of steel.
We owe him so much after that

[taggert]

David Cliffords point in the 39th minute of the first half is one of my favourite scores.
Ever.

[piskin]

At last we get over the line. Kudos to Jack o Connor on the line as he acted quickly when certain players were making their usual basic almost costly mistakes that have cost us in the past. Finally seen composure in the team that was badly lacking the last 10 years or so.

[The16thMan]

Guys I won't say much but what a well needed, deserved win. Against our arch rivals. The test was there, the game was in the melting pot and the doubts were there once again but this time they stood up and said "no more" and finally showed what they are capable of. It was by no means a 10/10 performance but Kerry did what they needed to do when questions were asked of them by Dublin and this will be a character building performance that was badly needed.
One down side is, Geaney was once again disappointing in a tight game and was deservedly called ashore. His form seems to he very hit and miss lately. However, we are in a final in 2 weeks with a different challenge and it is certainly a game I'm looking forward to. Cíarraí Abú 💚💛

[exiled]

While I agree on the euphoria of winning I to say I was totally disappointed with our performance especially in the second half. If Con was playing we probably would have been well bate. What the f was said to them at half time to make them play like that in the second half. Some chickens came home to roost for a few kerry players. A few are just not playing well enough to start..DOC for 1..White missing physicality..SOB past his best..I will return once I have re-watched on telly.

[sullyschoice]

Today was special for me for a lot of reasons.

Delighted, but the job is only half done.

[piskin]

Jul 10, 2022 20:54:15 GMT exiled said:

While I agree on the euphoria of winning I to say I was totally disappointed with our performance especially in the second half. If Con was playing we probably would have been well bate. What the f was said to them at half time to make them play like that in the second half. Some chickens came home to roost for a few kerry players. A few are just not playing well enough to start..DOC for 1..White missing physicality..SOB past his best..I will return once I have re-watched on telly.

Agreed.  Had experienced players lacking composure & mental strength under pressure. Great to see Dara Moynihan come on today and prove me wrong as he kicked a great point when it was badly needed when the game seemed like it was going away from us. Paudie Clifford redeemed himself today with an solid display. Morley a warrior it must be said. DOC is a worry as his reading of the game is poor. Watched SOB closely today and he does lack the needed composure in big games. I would still start Geaney for the Final as Tony Brosnan is not there yet.

[thebluepanther]

Well done today lads .
I was truly gutted after the game , but also recognise that we have grabbed last minute victories against Yourselves and Mayo over the last few years and i know that feeling of getting over the line . The atmosphere today was unbelievable an atmosphere that only Dublin and Kerry can bring . I’ve a feeling we will have some great battles ahead .
Enjoy your celebrations it’s well earned and best of luck in the final .

[Annascaultilidie]

Jul 10, 2022 21:24:07 GMT thebluepanther said:

Well done today lads .
I was truly gutted after the game , but also recognise that we have grabbed last minute victories against Yourselves and Mayo over the last few years and i know that feeling of getting over the line . The atmosphere today was unbelievable an atmosphere that only Dublin and Kerry can bring . I’ve a feeling we will have some great battles ahead .
Enjoy your celebrations it’s well earned and best of luck in the final .

You can't buy class and you have it.

[kerryexile5]

Midfield is a worry v Galway, David Moran tank was completely empty after 45mins.

Killian Spillane was on the ball a lot more than Geaney, but Killian prob best suited as impact sub.

[kot]

Jul 10, 2022 21:24:07 GMT thebluepanther said:

Well done today lads .
I was truly gutted after the game , but also recognise that we have grabbed last minute victories against Yourselves and Mayo over the last few years and i know that feeling of getting over the line . The atmosphere today was unbelievable an atmosphere that only Dublin and Kerry can bring . I’ve a feeling we will have some great battles ahead .
Enjoy your celebrations it’s well earned and best of luck in the final .

Hard Luck today, if it went to an extra period it looked like ye had our number. It is galling to lose classics, as we know all too well. But Dublin showed they are not going anywhere for a long time!

[Mickmack]

[Mickmack]

Jul 10, 2022 20:54:15 GMT exiled said:

While I agree on the euphoria of winning I to say I was totally disappointed with our performance especially in the second half. If Con was playing we probably would have been well bate. What the f was said to them at half time to make them play like that in the second half. Some chickens came home to roost for a few kerry players. A few are just not playing well enough to start..DOC for 1..White missing physicality..SOB past his best..I will return once I have re-watched on telly.

Dublins great team are on the way down.

Kerry are on the way up.

One team with seasoned operators. The other with lads with brittle confidence.

All that matters is that Kerry won today

You will have a long list if you document all the errors by both sides. It was riddled with errors.

But this is a game Kerry would have lost in the past 4 years. Not today. They found a way.

A loss to Dublin today without Con would have been a grievous mortal blow. Let Dublin regroup and come again with Con on board next year. But this was only about one thing today...finding a way.

Jack referenced huge work put into the mental side of things. I was behind Shane Ryan for that last kickout. Dublin closed down nearly as optiobs but Shane found BoB. That was mental toughness. Paul Murphy could have played for extra time but he threaded a footpass to DC for the final free.

We all worried about Kerry closing out a tight game. Well they did today.

[piskin]

Badly needed that battle today to toughen this Kerry team up. Held their nerve when our midfield had fallen apart early in the 2nd half. Dublin had the better fitness & conditioning again but not the scoring legs. Our backs were immense especially in the 1st half and held under serious pressure in the 2nd half when our midfield collapsed. As I said earlier Dara Moynihan & P Clifford stepped up today when we needed them most.

[Ballyfireside]

Jul 10, 2022 20:54:15 GMT exiled said:

While I agree on the euphoria of winning I to say I was totally disappointed with our performance especially in the second half. If Con was playing we probably would have been well bate. What the f was said to them at half time to make them play like that in the second half. Some chickens came home to roost for a few kerry players. A few are just not playing well enough to start..DOC for 1..White missing physicality..SOB past his best..I will return once I have re-watched on telly.

Did you ever play at this level - I don't think I ever saw this level. Don't bite back, listen to what others say and yes, and in addition to more footage, talk to a reliable attendee, that was a v serious game of football.

[kot]

Jul 10, 2022 22:25:56 GMT Mickmack said:

Jul 10, 2022 20:54:15 GMT exiled said:

While I agree on the euphoria of winning I to say I was totally disappointed with our performance especially in the second half. If Con was playing we probably would have been well bate. What the f was said to them at half time to make them play like that in the second half. Some chickens came home to roost for a few kerry players. A few are just not playing well enough to start..DOC for 1..White missing physicality..SOB past his best..I will return once I have re-watched on telly.

Dublins great team are on the way down.

Kerry are on the way up.

One team with seasoned operators. The other with lads with brittle confidence.

All that matters is that Kerry won today

You will have a long list if you document all the errors by both sides. It was riddled with errors.

But this is a game Kerry would have lost in the past 4 years. Not today. They found a way.

A loss to Dublin today without Con would have been a grievous mortal blow. Let Dublin regroup and come again with Con on board next year. But this was only about one thing today...finding a way.

Jack referenced huge work put into the mental side of things. I was behind Shane Ryan for that last kickout. Dublin closed down nearly as optiobs but Shane found BoB. That was mental toughness. Paul Murphy could have played for extra time but he threaded a footpass to DC for the final free.

We all worried about Kerry closing out a tight game. Well they did today.

True that. Plenty to address for the final but Con or no Con, we were on the ropes against a team who has been down this road countless times in the last 12 years (who were playing at home) and came through.
Id have taken that at the start of play.

[Ballyfireside]

Jul 10, 2022 19:09:17 GMT kot said:

That feeling has been a long time coming and it had to happen when I couldn't go! God almighty if I had to miss it, why couldn't have I had the option of watching Sky sports on the gaa go feed rather than being subjected to an emotional roller coaster and having to listen to Kevin McStay for an hour and a half spout absolute hateful gibberish about everything Kerry! A disgrace.

Anyway, on to the game. Like I said, a long time coming. Yet again we were on the brink of somehow plucking defeat from a nailed on victory but this time we held our nerve.

We should have been so much further ahead in the first half than we were. Dublin seemed a bit lost without O' Callaghan but still some uncharacteristic misses from even the likes of Fenton, Kilkenny & Rock.

Clifford was imperious then and we were in control around the middle.

I felt Dublin seemed to start the niggly stuff then beginning with the Small black card. I am struggling to see how people are saying it was a soft penalty? Gavin was about to shoot and the player from behind pulls his arm back preventing him from dropping the ball! As for the furore about Seanie's follow up, the ball was there to be played and its actually his trailing leg that catches Comerford as he is challenged over by a defender ..... yerra Comerford had acted as if he had been shot by Lee Harvey Oswald in the commentary box before the penalty, at least he a had a real reason to stay down holding his head then. Awful penalty though! That there would have been a soul destroyer I think for a Dublin team who weren't at it at all then. On a side note it seemed after the penalty schemozzle that Neelan gave into the Dublin crowd as much as Kerry did. Some very questionable calls in the 2nd half and he was in danger of adding himself to the "Dublin Joe" list!

I remember us being 5 up at half time in '16 and not feeling comfortable, I had the same feeling again. And it proved warranted. Kerry won in spite of themselves and the tactics in the 2nd half. Everything that worked well in the first half was out the window. We invited Dublin on, particularly after the goal.
David Moran again had a great game to an extent but he just has this knack of making high profile David James like cock ups that end up being costly!

Fair play to Dublin, their still active Laochra Gael's stood up and took it to us. Kilkenny & Fenton started to cause us real problems and I thought Paddy Small was causing us serious issues for the whole half hour he was on. What a point too by James McCarthy. At the back, Fitzsimons got on top of Clifford but Kerry's pensive, ponderous build up contributed to that! I have a slight concern with David Clifford I have mentioned before and I think its that he feels sometimes he has to pull us out the fire. He misses one forcing and then tries again and again. But he kept at it and won the free at the end. Davy Byrne was very good when he came on but ended being caught out for the the last gasp free.

For us, our backs had a strange second half. They were pushed back and often played themselves into pressure but turned over Dublin crucially towards the end. Our forwards were not at it bar the exception of Paudie in the 2nd half and Seanie right at the end. Dara Moynihan had a decent cameo. Fantastic to see Paudie come of age against the best of the best and pick up the slack when the 2 boys were kept under wraps. I hate the fisted point and thought he had a chance to end it when through that time, but watching it back he may have been caught if he tried to go for goal.

I found it quite amusing the Dublin fans booing Kerry retaining the ball to work a score in the 2nd half when it was their calling card for a decade.

Finally, Sean O'Shea you effing beauty! It was worth all of the roaring and pulling off hair in the 2nd half just to see that kick from Seanie O'Shea. Reminded me so much of Fitzy's pressure cooker kick against Armagh in 2000 but was further out? And into that wind and a hill full of baying Dubs. Jesus merciful god above in heaven it was almost erotic it was so good! The lack of a big cheer from the Hill gave away where this ball was going long before it got there! Just watching back that video above has me grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

Massive credit to both teams in a game for the ages. In a way, both teams will come away feeling good. We are in the final obviously and have gotten over Dublin in a tight, close encounter for the first time since '07! And the first time we have beaten any contender in a close game up in Croker since the final in '14.
Dublin have come within a kick of a ball of going to another final against the favourites, without their talisman and a lot of fellas getting their first experience of that type of a match.

On now to the final in 2 weeks! And if ever a reminder was needed to keep a focus, just look at Mayo last year. We were beat and they got over Dublin. I reckon they thought their day had finally come and they were no match for Tyrone.

Both teams play their best and we should win, but Galway have a ferocuious backline, a solid midfield and scorers who can hurt you. So if we aren't at it and we are as clueless on the day as we were in the 2nd half, then we are in trouble.

Oh to have to be in the, well the cot!

[exiled]

Kerry had the best fielder in the country starting today but how many times did Ryan try and hit him when he had to go long. Once I think and then he put over the sideline .

[homerj]

Seen us winning multiple all Irelands but never experienced anything like that feeling at full time.

Incredible.

[Mickmack]

Jul 10, 2022 23:10:24 GMT exiled said:

Kerry had the best fielder in the country starting today but how many times did Ryan try and hit him when he had to go long. Once I think and then he put over the sideline .

Kerry got a lot of scores from restarts by Shane today.

[hatchetman]

The black card time wasting is beyond a joke.
Is it the linesman who keeps the 10 minutes timing?
Surely if there's an injury they should stop the clock. Otherwise you're going to end up with the Comerford shenanigans every time.

[john4]

Just in the door. Simply amazing feeling today at the final whistle. What a game. What a team, what a kick.

Jack mentioned resilience a number of times in his post match comments and it was invaluable today. Bitter defeat has a value, it creates a hardness that winning doesn't provide. This group has built up a store of resilience over recent years and hopefully it'll stand to them in the future,

[kot]

Jul 10, 2022 23:10:24 GMT exiled said:

Kerry had the best fielder in the country starting today but how many times did Ryan try and hit him when he had to go long. Once I think and then he put over the sideline .

He went long and Moran collected the break and we scored a goal.

We scored 1-03 in the first half when Ryan went long…… 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Whosinmidfield]

I think winning a tough one like today will really bring this team on, confidence wise alone. Our defence deserves huge credit, it won that game for us today. What a complete turnaround from last year’s semi final; a weakness is now a strength. I thought some players really came of age; Shane Ryan had a very good day between the sticks, having the patience and nerve to find a runner for a short kick out was key to our victory. Brian O’Beaglaoich countless times when it was most needed was the man to lose his marker and collect the ball, great leadership. Paudie had the impact on a big game we all knew he was capable of. Moynihan did a lot of very good things when he came on. Special mention to both Seanie and David. These 2 still very young players are leading this Kerry team, 2 phenomenal footballers.

[wayupnorth]

I haven’t posted here for a long time. To be precise it was before the 2019 replay when I dared to hope we had a chance of stopping the Dublin juggernaut. I was in the lower Cusack sitting beside a very obnoxious Dublin “supporter “. This was a new experience for me even though I had been following the Kingdom for years. Most Dublin fans are decent and I have enjoyed the match time interaction win, lose or draw. But this together with the absence of a Plan B from our previous manager sent me homewards, as the song says, to think again with a feeling of the deepest depression. Probably only Kerry people could understand how such a reaction can come from watching thirty grown men kick an inflated sphere around a field for seventy minutes. I didn’t renew my season ticket in 2020 but in hindsight that proved to be a good decisions. COVID saw that for the first time in three decades I didn’t get to attend a single Kerry match.

In 2020 and 2021, I worked in the frontline in the fight against COViD and finally retired early this year, probably a bit later than planned. At around the same time my only brother died quite suddenly. We had attended many matches together over the years and probably would both have been there today as well. Remembering that the last match we were at was the 2019 Kerry-Dublin replay made it impossible for me to travel but I watched it all from the edge of my seat with growing confidence, then with diminishing hope until Seanie’s sublime point sent us to the final. I have to admit that I got quite emotional wishing that my brother was there to see it.

While Bill Shankley may not have been quite right about football being more important than life and death, he’s not too far away from the truth when it comes to supporting Kerry. An awesome responsibility rests on the shoulders of the young men in green and gold; they carry the hopes and dreams of their entire county. So I would like to thank them all from the bottom of my heart for lifting my spirits in what has been a difficult year.